


Night Terrors

by Cinder



Series: Whumptober 2019 [7]
Category: Charmed (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, julian's also in this fic but i forget his last name and don't care enough to look it up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:28:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23617507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinder/pseuds/Cinder
Summary: This time, it's Harry that gets sucked into a living nightmare, and Macy has to get him out.For the awesome TheShipSailsItself.*Spoilers for the most recent episode: 2x17 "Search Party".*Whumptober: Day 31 - Embrace
Relationships: Harry Greenwood/Macy Vaughn
Series: Whumptober 2019 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1503005
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	Night Terrors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheShipSailsItself](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShipSailsItself/gifts).



Macy stared down at her fallen Whitelighter, anger mixing with sorrow. His head was in her lap, her fingers running through his hair. But she couldn’t allow herself to pretend it was bringing him much comfort. 

“Maybe we should all go in, together?” Maggie said. 

Mel, standing over by the control board, nodded. “It’d be safer.” 

Macy shook her head. “If Abigail manages to get through the wards and come back, I need you two to protect Harry and I. If all four of us are in the nightmare realm, then Abigail could kill us all without any trouble.” 

Maggie and Mel frowned, clearly worried. 

On the carpet, Harry groaned. His head twisted back and forth, eyes still closed. “Help,” he said, his voice sounding listless and yet scared at the same time. “Help, please.” His hands clawed at the carpet, his body tensing. Then he went still again. 

Macy swore under her breath, vowing to make Abigail pay. She couldn’t just accept that Macy and Harry were together and happy. Macy knew she shouldn’t be surprised that Abigail had gone this far, but she hadn’t seen it coming. She knew that Abigail was angry, that she saw Macy and Harry’s new relationship as Harry choosing Macy over her. She had thought that Abigail wouldn’t lash out at Harry, for the hope of having him in the future. 

She had been completely and utterly wrong. 

Macy looked up at her sisters. “Send me in,” she said. “Now.” 

Her sister looked at each other, then down at the determined Macy. They raised their hands, and began chanting. 

*

Macy opened her eyes, and saw her sisters lying in front of her. Dead. 

She was standing in an corridor, empty except for the two bodies in front of her. A struggle had clearly happened. Blood smeared the walls and pooled under her sisters. Their bodies bore the marks of a fight – gashes and bruises and broken limbs. Mel’s arm hung limply in front of her stomach, where she had been trying to cover a stab wound. 

Macy fell to her knees. “Maggie. Mel.” She reached out to them, wanting to scream, to shake them awake, but it was clear that they were dead. She knew it from the blood pooling around their bodies, the puddle growing wider every second. 

She knelt next to them, not caring about the blood seeping through her jeans, coating her hands, her jacket. 

“It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s just an illusion.” Harry’s worst nightmare. Losing them, having his family – something he had wanted so desperately for so long – ripped away from him. And failing as a Whitelighter. 

She didn’t want to see this, she couldn’t see this. To see her little sisters, dead in such a gruesome way. But she couldn’t leave them like this. 

She reached out, hand shaking, to close Mel’s eyes. She stroked Maggie’s hair back from where it had been plastered against her head. She stayed kneeling in front of her sisters, each of her hands holding one of theirs. 

The moment was broken by a tortured scream. Macy instinctively stood up, hearing the pain in it. She knew that voice, had heard that cry before, although never as pained. Harry was near. 

As horrific as it was, the scream brought her back to her senses. This dreamworld version of Mel and Maggie wasn’t real. But Harry was, and he was in very real danger. 

She looked down at the bodies one final time, took a deep breath, and continued walking through the hallway. 

*

It took several more pained cries for Macy to locate Harry, but she finally found him. 

She was in a replica of the room where Harry had been locked away by Viv and her minions. Just as before, he was trapped in a stasis chamber. Except that this time, he was awake, forced to look out through the glass at the monsters keeping him there. Macy drew forward, trying to see his captors. It was just two – both tall, menacing, and…familiar. Especially the first one. 

She was looking at a clone of herself. 

Macy drew back into the shadows, heart pounding in her chest, as her clone began to speak. 

“Why didn’t you save them?!” The clone was staring at Harry in disgust, every inch of her body clearly revolted. 

Harry bowed his head. He offered no words – Macy was sure he thought he didn’t deserve any explanations or excuses. She knew how Harry’s mind worked – if he had failed to save the people he loved most, he would want no comfort. He would want pain, to make sure he was punished for what had happened. He always thought if he was faster, stronger, smarter, that he could save more people. He never simply thought of himself as just one person, who was limited by the fact that they couldn’t be everywhere and do everything at once. He always thought he could save more better, if he was just better. 

“My sisters are dead,” her double said. “You couldn’t protect them.” She walked over to the second captor. Macy’s heart dropped as the capture turned, revealing himself to be Julian. He wrapped an arm around Macy’s waist, pulling her close to him. “So I chose someone who could protect me.” 

“But – “ Harry rasped. His hands were pressed up against the glass of the chamber, his face desperate. 

“He killed Mel and Maggie?” Macy shrugged. “What choice do I have? Unless I want end like them…or you.” Her lip curled back in disdain. 

“Oh Harry,” Macy whispered. She remembered the pain she had felt when she had walked into the middle of her house, only to find Abigail among her sisters and Whitelighter, all of them staring as though Macy were the intruder. 

She stepped forward, into the light. Her clone’s head snapped towards her. Her clone glared at her. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin, but forced herself to look away from this monster version of herself, and towards Harry. He was looking at her in disbelief, confusion and pain etched onto his features. 

“Harry, this isn’t real.”

Harry should his head, disbelieving. Macy took another small step forward, trying not to frighten him.

“This is all just a sick game, set up by Abigail. Remember? She sent you that music box yesterday? When you opened it up, a spell activated and sent you into a dream.” She remembered the heart-stopping fear of looking up from her work to see a blue cloud burst out of the music box, hovering around Harry for a second, and disappearing. The next second, Harry was falling, already unconscious before he hit the floor. 

Harry shook his head again. “No, no, no. That was just something I told myself, just an illusion-“ He shut his eyes tight, trying to avoid looking at her. 

“You’re only hurting him even more,” the false Macy told her. Julian said nothing, but gave her a smirk. 

Macy glared at them, but tried to keep herself focused on Harry. She gently began to apply pressure to his stasis chamber, trying to free him as she did before. 

“I’m going to get you out here, Harry,” she said. He still kept his eyes closed, clearly trying to ignore her, even as the chamber began to shake from her efforts. Just as she was about to disconnect the chamber, something slammed into her. 

She lashed out with her telekinesis, throwing her attacker off of her. Her double sailed backwards, but then stopped herself in midair. She hovered there, using her own powers. 

The two Macys glared at each other, and the double threw herself forward. She shot forward like a bullet, her telekinesis reaching Macy before her hands could. Macy was thrown against the wall, pain shooting through her skull where it slammed against the steel. For a second, everything went dark. 

When her vision cleared, she was hovering in the air, paralyzed. Her double’s telekinesis held her in place. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Julian readying a second stasis chamber. She began to struggle against her telekinetic bonds once she realized what was happening.

If her double just killed her, it might wake both her and Harry up, freeing them from this nightmare. But if she was put into stasis, and sent into an even deeper unconsciousness…she and Harry could be trapped here forever. 

“Harry!” Macy screamed, desperate. “Harry, help me!” His eyes were still closed, she could see his lips moving, repeating “No no no” over and over again. He was no longer pressed up against the glass, but had drawn into the chamber as far as he could, away from her. 

She had been too late. Harry’s mind was already lost. 

The chamber opened, letting out a wave of mist. The cold hit Macy like a blow to the chest. 

“HARRY!” she screamed, the cry leaving her before she had even thought about it. Harry was too far gone – she had to be one to stop this. She lashed out with her telekinesis, trying to slam the chamber door before she could be forced through it, but before it could do more than move an inch her double’s telekinesis made it swing fully open again. 

She was moved towards the door, feeling the cold grow stronger and stronger…

And then the breath left her lungs as she hit the steel floor. 

She scrambled to her feet, desperate to get as far away from the chamber as possible. Julian’s mouth curled into a snarl, and he ran towards her. She raised her hand, and he flew into the chamber, the door slamming shut behind him. 

She turned to her left, and saw Harry grappling with her double. Her heart rose, and she reached out with her telekinesis, ripping out the stasis chamber he had orbed out of. With a final tug, she tore it out and sent it soaring at her double. It slammed into her, sending her flying across the room. She hit the wall and landed with a crash, unmoving. 

For a second, nobody moved, just staring at the fallen double. Then Macy turned to Harry, relief spreading through her. 

“How did you –“

“Your call,” Harry said. “I never felt her,” he nodded towards the double, “or Mel and Maggie call me, even when –“ He stopped, his voice breaking. Macy reached forward and gently took her hands in his. 

“But when you started shouting for me – I could feel it.” He smiled sadly. “Even if it took a while for me to believe it.” 

Macy drew him into an embrace. She could feel him trembling against her, and her heart broke. They stood like that for a long time, until Macy finally made herself draw back slightly. 

“We need to get out of here,” she said. “I assume that it’s like the last time we went into a dream world – one of us needs to die so we can wake up?” 

“Yes, I would assume s-“ Harry stopped once he realized once that meant. “No.” 

Macy stroked his face. “Harry, it has to be me. We’re connected in these dreams, and the main dreamer can’t die. Like how you had to sacrifice yourself for me last time.” She smiled reassuringly. “I’m just repaying the favor.” 

Harry shook his head, drawing her back into an embrace. His arms were so tight around her that her ribs ached. She felt his trembling return, twice as strong. 

“I swear Harry, this isn’t another illusion,” Macy said. “Remember how you could feel my call? I’m real.” 

Harry shook his head, which was buried in her shoulder. Too many tricks had been played on him, it was hard for him to believe. 

“I can’t,” he said, his voice shaky. “I watched Maggie and Mel die. I can’t – What if you leave and I’m left here, alone?” 

“But I’m not an illusion,” Macy said. “I’ll wake up, and you’ll wake up with me.” 

Harry shook his head. “I can’t,” he said, panic rising in his voice. “I can’t just stand back and watch you die. Like I watched Mel and Maggie –“ 

“Mel and Maggie are waiting for us,” Macy said gently. “This is just a nightmare. And we have the opportunity to leave it.” She could easily launch a scalpel at her chest, or make part of the ceiling collapse on her at any moment, but she knew she couldn’t leave until Harry was ready to. She couldn’t make him witness her death, unprepared. The shock would do even further damage, and he had endured enough trauma today. 

“Mel. Maggie.” Harry drew back slightly. Tears were coursing down his cheeks. “Alive?” 

Macy nodded. 

“I –“ Harry looked around the destroyed lab. It was clear he didn’t want to stay here, but when he looked back at Macy, there was still fear in his eyes. “Are you sure this isn’t another trick?” His voice was small and uncertain, craving reassurance. 

“Harry,” Macy said, allowing her voice to ring with purpose. She smiled when he closed his eyes, feeling her call. “I promise, on myself, my magic, and my family that this is real.” 

Harry took a deep breath, and nodded. He let go of her hands. “Okay then.” He turned away from her. “Do it,” he whispered.

Macy looked at the ground. Medical equipment had been scattered everywhere during the fight. She found a scalpel, and with a tilt of her head, it flew at her. She aimed it directly at her heart, knowing the exact place to slide it through the ribs, and as it hit her, her breath left her and – 

She woke up. 

Her eyes opened, and was staring into the Command Center’s ceiling. She slowly sat up, trying to get her bearings. 

“Macy!” A second later, Mel had slammed into her, wrapping her in a hug. Macy quickly returned it, but drew back. She smiled at her sister to show her she was happy to see her too, and then looked over at Harry. 

He had woken up, but was still lying on the ground, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Maggie was holding his hand, and looking over at her sisters worriedly. 

“Harry?” Mel said, looking from Macy to Harry. Macy and Mel got up and joined Maggie, looking down into Harry’s face. 

“Harry?” Macy said. He blinked, and looked slowly at the sisters. When his eyes locked onto them, she heard his breath catch. Macy used her telekinesis to help him sit up, his head leaning heavily on her shoulder. 

“Thank you,” Harry croaked out. “All of you. For rescuing me.” He could see him trying to keep his composure, not wanting to frighten her sisters. 

Macy looked at her sisters, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. Although no one in the group possessed telepathy anymore, she hoped they could understand what she was trying to say. 

“The coffee place is still open. I’ll go get you some tea,” Mel said. She gave Harry a reassuring smile, and left. Maggie waited a moment, and then piped up, “I think they also have scones. I’ll go remind Mel to get one.” And on that not so subtle note, Macy and Harry were alone together. 

“C’mon, let’s get you to a more comfortable place,” Macy said, swinging one of Harry’s arms around her shoulders. She helped him stand and shakily walk over to a stuffed armchair. The second they reached it he collapsed into it. Macy went to go get another chair for herself. But as she started to walk away, Harry grabbed her hand. He didn’t say anything, but the terrified look in his eyes was enough. 

Macy gave him a small smile. “I’m just going to go get a chair,” she said, squeezing his hand. He unwillingly released her, his eyes on her the entire time as she walked across the room, dragging a chair back to his side. 

She took his hand in hers, brushing her thumb over it in small circles. For a while, neither of them said anything. 

“You know that I would never do that, right?” Macy said. “Blame you if Mel and Maggie died.” 

Harry shuddered. 

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” he said, his voice low. “If I failed like that –“

“Harry, our safety isn’t just on you. It depends on all four of us,” Macy said. “Remember what I once said? We protect each other now.” 

“I’m the Whitelighter. It’s my job to protect you three.”

“You’re more than just a Whitelighter –“ 

“And even if I wasn’t – to lose all of you, and not be able to do anything to stop it…I don’t need to be a Whitelighter to have that fear.” 

“I’m afraid too,” Macy said softly. “Of losing Mel, Maggie…you.” She kissed his template. “I almost lost you today.” 

Harry leaned his head on his shoulder. “We’ll need to give Abigail an equally lovely present to match the one she sent us today.” 

Macy snorted. 

“The hard part is how I’m going to be able to get any sleep from now on,” Harry said. “I know I was asleep for the past several hours, but I still feel exhausted.” 

Macy smiled. “I can help with that.” 

Harry looked up at her, and she was pleased to see some mirth coming back into his eyes. “Oh really?”

“I’ll stay with you all night,” Macy said, attempting to keep a straight face. 

“Quite a honorable sacrifice,” Harry said. 

Macy wrapped her arms around him, moving onto his lap. “You know me, always thinking of others.” 

Harry relaxed as she wrapped him in her arms. “A doctor a day keeps the nightmares away?”

Macy giggled. “Something like that.” 

And she leaned down to meet his lips with her own.


End file.
